Highland's freshmen played Simon Kenton last week and it was called against Simon last week. This week it happen 3 times against Conner. This is an illegal block. Why are coaches teaching this? It was not called in the Conner game though. For those that do not know what a high- low block is. It's when a blocker is engaged with a defensive player an another offensive blocker chop's the defensive players legs out. It a very dangerous block on the defensive linemans knees. Just wish it didn't have to happen. Has anyone else noticed this type of blocking happening more?

Watch the Holmes/Holy Cross game featured on ICN 6 earlier this season. Many penalties were called for just that. I think some have perfected it.

Highland's freshmen played Simon Kenton last week and it was called against Simon last week. This week it happen 3 times against Conner. This is an illegal block. Why are coaches teaching this? It was not called in the Conner game though. For those that do not know what a high- low block is. It's when a blocker is engaged with a defensive player an another offensive blocker chop's the defensive players legs out. It a very dangerous block on the defensive linemans knees. Just wish it didn't have to happen. Has anyone else noticed this type of blocking happening more?

 

Sometimes it happens inadvertently. I know of at least one occassion last year involving the Highlands varsity when one of their guards on a pass play helped out the center. Unfortunately the center was not expecting the help and was chop blocking. The guard did not anticipate the chop block by the center and hit the nose man at about the same time up high. The called a penalty (and it should have been called, but it was not intentional).

 

I do think most of the high low blocks are unintentional and are not the result of coaching.

Sometimes it happens inadvertently. I know of at least one occassion last year involving the Highlands varsity when one of their guards on a pass play helped out the center. Unfortunately the center was not expecting the help and was chop blocking. The guard did not anticipate the chop block by the center and hit the nose man at about the same time up high. The called a penalty (and it should have been called, but it was not intentional).

 

I do think most of the high low blocks are unintentional and are not the result of coaching.

2 of the 3 block's looked pretty bad. The block on #62 and #23 were as bad as they get. I don't know if these 2 players were taught this, but their coach should tell them after seeing it on films. The bad thing about it was it was not the same kids doing the blocking.

It's actually CALLED a chop block, and they are illegal on all levels. At Trinity, we used to cut block a lot of blitzers inside the tackle box, it is effective and legal. I am unaware if they still use the same practice.

And for those that don't know the difference, a chop block is not the same as a cut block, which is similar except the defender is not being blocked by another offensive lineman when the cutting lineman goes for the legs.

What you describe a chop block. Here is a simple way to know if a double team is legal:

 

1. First player contacts opponent high, and second player low - Chop Block

2. First player contacts opponent low, and second player high - legal block

3. First player contacts opponent low, and second player low - Chop Block

4. First player contacts opponent high, and seccond player high - legal block

4. Both players contact opponent simultaneously high or low - legal block

The NFHS has defined a free blocking zone (FBZ). The FBZ is:

 

4 yards left and right of the ball where it is snapped

3 yards forward and backward from the line of scrimmage

The FBZ is in effect as long as the ball is in that rectangular shaped area.

 

Blocking below the waist is legal when the following conditions are all met...

a. all players involved are on the line of scrimmage and in the FBZ at the snap (for team B this means within 1 yard of the neutral zone).

b. the contact is inside the FBZ

 

Clipping is permitted in the FBZ when the following conditions are all met...

a. by offensive lineman who are on the line of scrimmage and in the FBZ at the snap

b. against defensive players who are on the line of scrimmage and in the FBZ at the snap

c. The contact is in the FBZ

 

Blocking in the back is permitted when the following conditions ar met...

a. by offensive lineman who are on teh line of scrimmage and in the FBZ at the snap

b. against defensive players who are in the FBZ at the snap

c. the contact is in the FBZ

 

None of the above actions are legal after the ball leaves the FBZ. If the QB is in shotgun formation he is technically outside the FBZ, so the long snap (ball) leaves the FBZ quickly. It is determined therefore that such blocks listed above are legal only if they occur immediately after the snap.

Hey-Ref

 

Thanks, it was all very informative and I'm sure some didn't know all of the rules, but of course I did.

I have another question that is similar in nature. Is it legal for a linebacker or defensive end to cut a running back who is trying to block them on an isolation or power play?

I have another question that is similar in nature. Is it legal for a linebacker or defensive end to cut a running back who is trying to block them on an isolation or power play?

YES.

94 Camel is incorrect. That block that HIT SOMEBODY describes is illegal.

Are the following correct? My Coach always told us that:

 

1) A running back is outside the FBZ at the snap and can never HIT low

 

2) A linebacker who is outside the FBZ at the snap can never BE HIT low

 

3) A block in the back has to hit between the shoulder blades to be illegal

 

4) A back who is behind the LOS as a receiver can be hit, or even tackled, legally, even if the ball is in the air

 

5) TE's are almost always outside the FBZ

It's actually CALLED a chop block, and they are illegal on all levels. At Trinity, we used to cut block a lot of blitzers inside the tackle box, it is effective and legal. I am unaware if they still use the same practice.

 

 

It's only legal if the LB was in the free blocking zone at the time of the snap(which is very unusual), if the blocker was in the free blocking zone at the snap(which is unusual) and if the ball is still in the free blocking zone when the block occured. All 3 of these things have to happen in order for the block to be legal.

It's actually CALLED a chop block, and they are illegal on all leve ls. At Trinity, we used to cut block a lot of blitzers inside the tackle box, it is effective and legal. I am unaware if they still use the same practice.

 

It is illegal to cut a blitzing LB, unless he lines up on the LOS.